Player Type: DEFENDERS
Nationality: Singaporean
DOB/Age: 29 March 1998 (26)
Previous Clubs: Young Lions (2016-2019, 2021-2022)
A modern-day full-back who is aggressive in the tackle and excels in making forward runs to support the attack, Zulqarnaen is an asset at both ends of the pitch. Part of the Sailors’ squad in the club’s inaugural season in 2020, he returned to play for Young Lions for one and a half seasons where he furthered his development and is now a Singapore national team regular.
Having particular sparkled towards the end of 2023 with strong performances in the Tiger Cup against English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur and in the AFC Champions League, he was unfortunate to suffer an anterior cruciate ligament injury earlier this year and is currently on the road to recovery.
Nationality: Singaporean
DOB/Age: 21 February 2003 (21)
Previous Clubs: South Avenue SC
Playing at the void deck with her brothers at the age of nine sparked Khairunnisa’s love for football, and she went on to represent Singapore at various age-group levels, and eventually earned a call up to the senior National Team.
She may be tiny in size, but she more than makes it up with her heart and grit on the pitch. An adept reader of the game, she executes her tackles both aggressively and effectively on the right side of defence.
As someone who juggles her school commitments and part-time work with football, Nisa is hoping that her sacrifices and perseverance pay off as she continues to cement herself as a first-team regular for club and country.
Nationality: Singaporean
DOB/Age: 20 December 2001 (23)
Previous Clubs: Aerion FC
Having finished top scorer with eight Pannas to help the Sailors win the inaugural FAS Women’s Panna Challenge in 2020, Syazwani is blessed with skill and ball control. But playing as a defender, she has since worked on adding a touch of steel to her game by becoming more aggressive in 1v1 situations and committing to challenges.
Inspired by her football-loving dad, Syazwani picked up the sport at the age of five and honed her skills at Admiralty CSC. Syazwani simply cannot live without football – she is often found either kicking the ball in her home or just juggling whenever she has some free time.
Nationality: Singaporean
DOB/Age: 11 March 2002 (22)
Previous Club: South Avenue CSC
Sporting a scar on her forehead due to an old head injury, Umairah’s commitment and love for the Beautiful Game is clear – and she is determined to lead the Sailors Women to a third consecutive WPL title after being appointed as team captain at the start of 2024.
A no-nonsense centre-back who wears her heart on her sleeve, the youngster models her game after Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk and is inspired to lead her team in a similar fashion.
Picking up the game at the age of five when she joined her brothers in a small community football club, Umairah never looked back, going on to play for her primary and secondary schools.
Her recipe for success is calming herself down with deep breathing and visualising how she plays in the dressing room before the game begins.
Nationality: Singaporean
DOB/Age: 19 November 1990 (34)
Previous Clubs: Young Lions (2007-2011), LionsXII (2012-2013), Johor Darul Ta’zim (2014-2021), Home United (2017 – loan)
As one of Singapore’s most successful footballers of all time, Hariss is a household name who was brought in to be the engine of the Sailors squad. The all-conquering midfielder joined the Sailors in 2021 after a successful eight-year spell at Malaysia Super League (MSL) side Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT), where he led them to six league titles, as well as to a historic AFC Cup victory in 2015.
A natural leader who can play in the middle of the park as well as in central defence, the Lions skipper is tasked with guiding the exciting young talents at the club, as he looks to usher in a new era of success for the Sailors.
Nationality: Singaporean
DOB/Age: 5 June 1997 (27)
Previous Clubs: Home United (2016), Hougang United (2017, 2020-2022), Young Lions (2019)
Having established himself as one of Singapore’s finest young defenders across two separate spells at Hougang United, Lionel has taken his game to a whole next level since joining the Sailors in 2023 and is now emerging to be a key player for the Singapore national team.
The 1.84m defender made a total of 35 appearances in his debut season with the club and will look to kick on further this coming campaign.
